IT'S ONLY WEED! DOPE! POT!
On my way to work this morning with my boss, we entered into a discussion/debate about the legalization of the "Weed." It was sparked by the news that Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper signed a bill yesterday to legalize marijuana in his state. Nineteen other states have legalized the use of the drug for medical purposes, while ten others are considering similar laws. However, only Colorado and Washington have legalized the substance for recreational use.
A growing number of Americans are now supporting the decriminalization of marijuana use. In 1969, only 12 percent of Americans favored legalizing marijuana use, while 84 percent were opposed. Now 52 percent say marijuana should be made legal, while 45 percent disagree. So why not lift the ban nationwide?
There are four main arguments put forth in support of legalization:
1. Decriminalization will relieve the courts of the huge backlog of drug cases for minor offenses which clog the system. Guess the more common the crime, the less we should prosecute !
2. States will increase tax revenue. If we make such assertion, will it not follow that we should legalize not only marijuana but also heroin, cocaine and other hard drugs
3. Illegal drug dealers will be put out of business if the ban on marijuana is lifted. Really? Considering the nature of man, will they not find other popular illegal drugs to exploit and promote? At the same time, will those who espouse decriminalization not campaign for other drugs to be legalized also?
4. Alcohol is an addictive stimulant and more destructive but it is legal. Also, tobacco causes just as much damage and people smoke a whole lot more cigarettes than they ever would joints and it is legal. The point is that it makes no sense to ban it while allowing for other more potent and addictive drugs. My mom would say "two wrongs don't make a right!" Just because alcohol is legal is no reason to legalize other poisons. Alcohol's toll on society is positively incalculable and mind-boggling - drunk driving accidents, fatalities and injuries, destroyed property, health care costs, shattered families, domestic violence, and lost productivity. Now we should add another poison to the mix? With that logic why don't we just legalize it all......heroin, cocaine, meth, paint huffing, glue sniffing etc. Let's just triple society's problems for no real reason other than so drug addicts can get high and veg out on the couch.
The medical benefits, the social and moral implications of legalized marijuana as well as the role of government to legislate behavior can certainly be debated. Indeed, it is a free society; but with freedom comes responsibility. John Klein, political columnist and author and advocate of legalization of marijuana concedes that: "legalization of marijuana would compound the cascade of society toward unlimited individual rights—a trend that can be catastrophic if there isn’t a countervailing social emphasis on personal and civic responsibility. It might well accelerate the trend toward the couchification of American life; it certainly would not be a step toward the social rigor we’re going to need to compete in a global economy."
Does Scripture address the issue? While there is no mention of marijuana in the Bible, there are principles which should govern our behavior on questionable issues . First, The Bible forbids intoxication (Proverbs 23:31-35; Habakkuk 2:15; Galatians 5:21) and teaches us to "be self-controlled" (1Peter 5:8). Even proponents of marijuana usage encourage users never to drive a motor vehicle while using marijuana. Because when one use marijuana, one is legally intoxicated and incapable of clear thinking and reasonable reactions.
Second, Apostle Paul reminded believers that :"All things are permissible, but all are not beneficial." (1 Corinthians 6:12) Will legalized "pot" really be beneficial to our families, businesses, and society? Will it encourage honest labor, innovation, and personal and civic responsibility?
Third, We do well to remember the biblical truth: "You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your body" (1Corinthians 6:19-20).
Finally, we are commanded to live soberly and godly as we will surely give an account to our creator for things done in the body (1Corinthians 5:10-12)
Whether it's alcohol, tobacco or marijuana, it all comes down to choosing God or choosing an escape - a plant or a chemical induced temporary escape from a reality we cannot face. Choosing to trust God, relying on Him and seeking His will in our lives is ALWAYS the right answer. Believe it or not, it is in submission to our Creator and His Word that we find true freedom!
What do you think? Please leave your comments below:
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Comments
I respect your opinion about the legalization of marijuana and your right to that opinion. I do not agree with it. I worked for 20 years in law enforcement, seeing hundreds (maybe thousands) of drug abuse cases. Virtually all drug abusers started out with marijuana. The reverse is not true. Not everyone who uses marijuana eventually abuses other drugs.
My own son suffers from severe Post Traumatic Stress, and he has a medical use license. Marijuana is the ONLY thing that stops his panic attacks, but having to purchase it from licensed medical vendors increases the cost greatly. If marijuana was legalized, the price would go down for those who truly need it.
Will there be abuse of pot if is is legalized? Absolutely! There is abuse now, just as there is abuse of alcohol. But not everyone who drinks "adult beverages" becomes an alcoholic.
This debate will continue, but eventually, I believe most, if not all states will legalize marijuana. I will share your blog, because more people need to see both sides of the argument.
Thanks for sharing 'Should We Really Legalize Marijuana?' Great article
Excellent Post. Very Good Points.I believe it may help many if not abused. Liked, tweeted and shared on Google+ for you Stephen. Much Continued Success & Stay Blessed.
It is true that there is bondage is excessive misuse of our gifts. That is not my point. Enacting laws is not the answer. It was not for alcohol and it is not for use of marijuana either. Which is different than hemp. I question making the use of a plant illegal. So much so that a person cannot grow it or use it other than smoking it. We now know that some sugars are addictive to. Some more so than others. Some are so bad for us that they are not eliminated from our systems, yet they are legally used in our food. We are subjected to endocrine inhibitors in our food supply yet, the companies selling these foods are not held accountable. It's perfectly legal. The plant marijuana is demonized to the point that it's cousin hemp is lumped in with it. People are in prison for 'moral' decisions to use or because they had possession. How free is it to say lets make a law for people who smoke weed, but not for people who systematically ruin our health with additives in our food which makes obesity, diabetes, cancers and heart problems run rampant? How freeing is it to say 'you are morally wrong for smoking pot, so you must go to jail, while it is common place for people to sleep around without benefit of marriage? Both those things are moral decisions. Only when there is money involved is it illegal to sleep around these days. And even that depends on whether the money is called a gift or payment. Some of the same endocrine inhibitors are responsible for people being unable to fight addictions successfully. We have challenges, yes. They are at a deeper level than we think. Yes, there are side effects we are told about 'weed'. Yet, legally the pharmaceutical companies make synthecized marijuana which is even more deadly. Marinol is a money making product that has government approval.
There is nothing new under the sun. People have always had to make a choice to do what is life giving or what leads to certain death. But, it is their choice. It is made ignorantly or with full disclosure. Locking people up for moral decisions is a business. It is not for societal protection, it is not for the rehabilitating of the offender, it is for the making of money. It's business. Allowing additives in our food supply which causes us to act out, is big business, too. There is no law against it. It's just business. And you are correct it is bondage. Everything is called an addiction now. Why is that? It's just business.
Still we have a choice. To educate ourselves and to question what we are told by the media. Question our doctors. Question our beliefs and research 'why'. Then start cleaning up ourselves, families and communities with an eye toward real rehabilitation. I am not talking about serious crimes like vicious murder, rape and child abuse. I am talking here about people who are outside of the law because of a plant. A plant that has more benefit than tobacco. Yet tobacco is legal while it still keeps sickening and killing. Where is the law against it? It's just business.
Much respect and peace be unto you.
Yes, the Creator did "put it here" and as part of the creation it has beneficial properties. But as with many created things, man has abused them and continue to do so.. Hemp is great for making rope but is it really good for smoking?
As an educator I have seen the detrimental effects of this drug, which has dulled the senses and ambitions of many of my students for years. I grew up in the 1960s and 70s and have seen its, and other drugs, terrible effects on those around me. Sure alcohol is addictive and some prescription drugs, so should we legalize some more. Where will we stop? Who will pay the health care cost and welfare payments for the additional abusers? Do you really think enough tax will be collected to educate, fight crime, AND rehab the addicts , oh yes and rid the world of hunger? As to keeping law-breakers in jail, clogging the system, there are other ways to enforce the laws, from civil courts to arbitration.
I am well aware that given the nature of man for self-gratification, it is only a matter of time before marijuana, like alcohol and cigarettes, will be legalized and we will advance the downward spiral of our culture into further addiction and bondage.
The legalization of a weed? It is preposterous that a plant was ever made illegal in the first place. And if the Creator put it here, there is plenty of reason for us to make use of that weed. It does not have to be smoked. It is very beneficial in a salad. That 'weed' has medicinal uses that we cannot access at will because of a 'law'. Yet, we can lawfully be prescribed synthesized marijuana which has side effect that are deadly? The amount of money put into ridding cities and states of a plant, then locking up people who grew or used it is enough to feed and clothe and house the entire world population. Why wasn't that done instead? Guess that just makes too much sense. Let's just make a law that gives some people jobs and puts others in an abusive criminal system and warehouse them there for big business use. That makes more sense.
Well Steven, There was a time when they battled about legalizing alcohol.Its a matter of opinions and believe me I have hear some opinions about this subject matter. At any rate, Awesome blog post will share.
I care about the waste of peoples' lives in jail with a record. God put the plant there, as you use the word of god to confuse and delude. Some people live by faith, some with fact and some by telling people how and what to read and believe. Thank you, bless you.
Stephen,
Wow what a powerful post my friend. I thoroughly enjoyed your post. Honestly lol I don't know where to even start my reply on your post, that's not a complaint I think it's awesome that a post can call up such a multitude of possibilities for answers and replies.
Let's face it back in 1969 the boomers were still rather young and their opinions were kind of shewed away by those of the older generation. Plus, they were still trying to figure out what the world would come to with, free lovin,long haired, pot smoking hippies like us. (LOL) Thus the only 12%.
Time moved on, and even though those "Baby Boomer" grew up taking over the buying force. I mean face it just about every training movie I have seen shows you just that how you get in front of the buying deman. EX: baby boomer make up 60 to 70% of the buying power so get into something that's going to take care of retirement since we are about there right?
The shift of generational PP(Purchasing Power) now lies with a generation which was known for it's weedy days. To those that have used it, grown up around it or those of us that never even tried it but still know all there is to know about it don't feel legalization is that far of a stretch.
I don't smoke it never did but I will have to be honest here it's no worse than the booze. As a matter of fact to take it one step farther, I've seen those chillin on pot and those on booze to me the pot actually doesn't have the attitude and personality changing ability that booze does.
As for the issues with God and the Bible I will stay far away from that because I have my own views but my major view that I live by is that what's between you or anyone and God is between them and God. The use of anything can be over done and I don't recommend that for anyone for any reason.
Again Stephen, wonderful post!
Susan
First of all let me give my opinion of the the % stats on legalizing it or not changing. If you think about it what is the generation that's saying yes legalize it (I'm guessing its those like me of the "baby boomer" generation.) Face it back in the
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